44 comments later, I can summarize the Hunger Games style bloodbath that occurred as 10% ‘Other Vendors’ who could not post an answer quick enough in order to ‘pimp their wares’, 75% Customers complaining about how service has gone downhill, 12% Customers saying how great the service always is, and this little nugget from Salesforce.com:

In case you are reading on an old-school device and can’t see the image, Atul Nanda, the HDICOFS (head Dude in Charge of Support) from Salesforce.com chimes in with a great answer. He addresses the issue, acknowledges there is a problem, and lays out the path forward. He then gives out his email address and asks for anyone experiencing issues to contact him.

Strangely enough, the onslaught continued, as it seemed that no one read Atul’s post, but continued to hash out their grievances online. While I enjoy a good fight as much as the next guy, I thought we could look at the good and bad of what is going on here:

1 – Saleforce.com is actively monitoring the Customer conversation. Big Thumbs Up for this. Another huge Thumbs Up for responding, acknowledging and making the effort to engage the TributesCustomers.

2 – It took Saleforce.com a week to respond to the thread. In Customer Days, that’s a few years.

3 – Several ‘Other Vendors’ tried to continuously hijack the discussion and scream ‘Buy from me!’. Not much that Salesforce.com can do about this, but if you are a vendor, use some restraint here and offer content and value…the sales will come naturally as a result.

4 – Several Customers offered solid solutions and kept the discussion palatable. As a Customer, here is where you distance yourself from the Raving Lunatic and instead become a Power User and get more respect from your vendors and your peers.

You’ll have to sign into LinkedIn to read the entire thread, I hope that I can save a few hours of your life instead with the summary above.